Running. I've gotten back into the sport since I've been here. Which has at least meant that thing called "my belly" has a chance of staying the same size instead of growing. One can only hope anyway!

My days start very idly - the alarm goes off at 9am and I head down for what they call breakfast around 9:30am. Seriously, I don't know how they last until lunch with what's on the table. It's mostly cookies - yes cookies!! I'm DYING for a good brunch. Eggs, bacon, home fries......how many more days again?? :) And I can't help but remember the days of waking up at 5:30am to get in a run before work. Are those days really ahead of me?

Back to my schedule. I'm out the door for a run around 10am. I do this anywhere from 2 to 5 days a week depending on what's going on. No running on market days because by the time I get back, a lot of it is over. Priorities! And I go anywhere from 2 to 5 miles, again, depending on if I have to be back for Luca. I'm sure my friends training for the marathon are getting quite the laugh out of my distances. Sorry guys! And if I had half the drive and motivation of my friend Fiona with running and training, I'd be a superstar. But I don't, so I'll have to settle for plain old star! My goal when I head out is to not twist something or fall down, K? So far I've been able to manage that.

While it's usually a test of motivation to get me out the door, I feel like I've accomplished a lot for the day when I get back and it's quite the high, I'll admit. Even though I think I'm known as the "foreigner who doesn't wear enough clothes while running and it's 'cold' out". I think I'll miss some of that when I'm back on the streets of NY and become just one of the many along the West Side Highway.

I'm glad I extended my run today - I got an "I love you" in English from an older gentleman. I'll give him the benefit of the doubt of not being one of the creepy old men (just let me go with it). I said "grazie" as I passed him on my way back. No stopping. I didn't really want to know if I was wrong.